Nosh 'Til You Drop!
Rodney Smiley
Thursday, December 15, 2005
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
Come January we all will have had our fill of glazed hams, fruit cakes and sugar cookies. But what if your holiday nosh could be slaked with holiday foods from around the globe like Scandinavian saffron bread, Jamaican jerk chicken, or European wine-spiked figs?
The world celebrates the holidays in various ways, and with each distinct cultural celebration comes some fantastic foods not typically prepared in the U.S. That’s one of the best things about an ever-increasing global community (especially for noshers like me): the sharing of cultural traditions and traditional foods.
So step outside the States for a moment this year and include some of the following recipes from around the world in your holiday menu:
LUSSEKATTER (Saffron Bread)
Scandinavia
½ teaspoon saffron threads
½ cup golden raisins
¼ cup boiling water
2 packages active dry yeast
½ cup milk
1 cup sugar
4 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon powdered cardamom
¼ pound butter at room temperature
Set the oven at 250°F. Put the saffron in a cup and the raisins on a plate and put them in the oven. After 5 minutes, remove the saffron and pour the boiling water over it. Let steep for 20 minutes (longer if you prefer) while you get on with the rest of the preparation. Turn off the oven but leave the dried fruit inside to stay warm. Mix the yeast with the milk and a teaspoon of the sugar and let stand for 10–15 minutes in a warm, but not hot, spot. Combine the flour, the remaining sugar, salt, and cardamom in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast mixture and then the butter. When everything is thoroughly combined, add the saffron mixture, which should now be a deep marigold color. Mix and then add the warm raisins. Knead thoroughly until the dough is soft but not sticky. Roll it into a ball and put it in a bowl; cover with plastic and let it rise in a draft-free spot until it has doubled in bulk. This takes about two hours. Knock the dough down by thumping it firmly several times. Knead it for 2–3 minutes.
To make bread: Shape it to fit a 9-by-5-inch bread pan, cover, and let rise for another 30–45 minutes or until it is higher than the top of the pan. While it is rising, heat the oven to 375°F. Put the bread in the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes. Makes one loaf.
To make buns: Form the dough into 16 balls. Place these on a greased cookie sheet, flatten the tops slightly with your palm, cover, and let rise for about 25 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Turn the oven to 375°F while they are rising. Bake them for 15 minutes or until the bottoms are browned and sound hollow when rapped. Makes 16 buns.
JERK CHICKEN
Jamaica
1 Scotch Bonnet (or other hot pepper)
8 scallions
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon powdered allspice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 large boneless chicken thighs
Put the pepper, scallions, garlic, vinegar, oil, soy sauce, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt into a blender and whiz until they have formed a sauce. Place the chicken thighs in a dish and pour the sauce over them. Leave for at least an hour — longer is better — turning once or twice. Heat the broiler or a charcoal grill. Broil or grill the chicken pieces for 15–20 minutes or until done. Turn once or twice to cook each side. In Jamaica, pork is also cooked this way, as well as fish or sausage. Serves 4–6.
FIGS IN RED WINE
many European countries
About 30 dried figs
1 ½ cups red wine
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons sugar
Extra cinnamon sticks and bay leaves as garnish
Put all the ingredients except the extra cinnamon sticks and bay leaves for the garnish in a pan and add 1/2 cup water. Cover the pan and bring to simmering point. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the figs are plump and tender. Serve lukewarm, garnished with the extra cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Serves 4-5.
CURRIED PUMPKIN-PEANUT SOUP
Africa
1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large tart apple
3 teaspoons curry powder
2 cups mashed pumpkin
½ cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne
¼ cup coarsely chopped peanuts and cilantro (for garnish)
In a large pan, heat the oil. Add the onion, cover the pan, lower the heat, and let the onion gently cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the grated apple, cover the pan again, and cook for another three minutes. Stir in the curry powder, then the pumpkin. Thoroughly mix in the peanut butter. Add 2 cups water, the salt, and cayenne. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.Purée the soup in a blender or processor. Return it to the pan and add another cup of water. Reheat the soup and taste. Add more salt and cayenne if you like, and more water if you want a thinner soup. Serve in bowls with a sprinkling of peanuts or cilantro to garnish. Makes 5–6 servings.
SOUTHERN SWEET POTATO PIE
USA Southern States
8-9 inch shortcrust pie shell
1 ½ cups mashed sweet potatoes
¾ cup cream
2 eggs, beaten
5 tablespoons melted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon powdered cinnamon
3 tablespoons bourbon or rum
½ cup pecan halves (optional)
I’ve included this recipe for sweet potato pie because for many Americans, the Southern United States are other-worldly. Plus, it’s a darn good pie.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, mix the sweet potato with the cream or milk, eggs, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and bourbon or rum. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and decorate the edge with the pecans if you are using them. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the filling is set. To test it, insert a warmed knife blade or skewer. If it comes out clean, the pie is ready. Serve warm — not hot — or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Four Courses Closer to a Fab Thanksgiving, 11-23-2005
Four Courses Closer to a Fab Thanksgiving
Rodney Smiley
[11/23/05]
(as published on www.outinamerica.com )
One of the best things about being gay (aside from the nice clothes, rapier wit and legion of hair products) is the ability to turn ordinary events into fabulous occasions. We can take a party and make it a soiree, turn a meeting into a gathering and transform a wedding into … Well, some of us still have to work on that wedding part.
The holidays are no exception to this rule — and there’s no better holiday for a food-lover like me than Thanksgiving. And although it’s pretty standard fare, what with the turkey and the stuffing and the pies and gravy, with a little gayification your Thanksgiving meal can simply shine with fantastic feyness!
Below you’ll find a few of my favorite standard Thanksgiving recipes as prepared by some of the greatest celebrity chefs. These ain’t your Mama’s dishes, so buckle up and prepare for a fabulous Thanksgiving meal!
ALTON BROWN'S CRANBERRY DIPPING SAUCE
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown (Good Eats)
As an alternative to gravy, give this zesty alternative by food professor-extraordinaire Alton Brown a try. A cranberry dipping sauce, served in individual ramekins, is a great way to replace even the tastiest of gravies. Your guests will be able to spoon the sauce onto their plates or use the individual servings and dip away!
1 pound frozen cranberries
2 cups orange juice
3 cups ginger ale
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 orange, zested
Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan (stainless steel) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer while stirring occasionally for 30-45 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Carefully puree with stick blender or blender until smooth. Check for seasoning and serve in small ramekins.
GIADA DE LAURENTIIS' TURKEY WITH HERBES DE PROVENCE AND CITRUS
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis (Everyday Italian)
Giada, with her model looks and old world talent, is fond of this bird that may take a little time to prepare, but just think how many times your guests will call you Kitchen Goddess when you present them with a flavorful turkey they can brag about later!
1 (14 to 15-pound) turkey, neck and giblets reserved
1 orange, cut into wedges
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 onion, cut into wedges
6 fresh rosemary sprigs
6 fresh sage sprigs
6 fresh oregano sprigs
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth (approximate amount)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
To make the turkey: Position the rack in the lowest third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the turkey on a rack set inside a large roasting pan. Place the orange and lemon wedges, onion, and two sprigs of each fresh herb in the main turkey cavity. Tie the legs together to hold the shape of the turkey. Stir two tablespoons of butter, herbes de Provence, oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat just until the butter melts. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey and between the turkey breast meat and skin. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point one day ahead.) Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before roasting.Cover the turkey breast with foil. Roast for 20 minutes. Pour three cups of broth into the pan. Add the remaining sprigs of fresh herbs to the pan. Roast the turkey for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the foil from the turkey; pour one more cup of broth into the pan. Continue roasting the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165-175 degrees F or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Basting occasionally with pan juices for about 90 minutes longer. Transfer the turkey to a platter and tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes.
INA GARTEN'S ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Copyright 2005, Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) All Rights Reserved
Yes, I said brussels sprouts. But keep in mind, these dishes are not what your mother forced upon you – these are what Ina, chef and perfect-party-planner prepares for you! These sprouts are as tasty and delicious as a college lacrosse team.
1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off the brown ends of the brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35-40 minutes until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and serve immediately.
PAULA DEEN’S HOME COOKING PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD TRIFLE
Courtesy of Paula Deen, Lady & Sons — Savannah, Ga.
Hailing from my home state of Georgia, Paula Deen personifies the classic, brassy Southern Woman (think Steel Magnolias meets Julia Child). Her recipe for a Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle is as spectacular to look at as it is to eat.
2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
1 (5.1-ounce) package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional
Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble one batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, attractive bowl. Pour half of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle on top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.
© 2005 Food Network. All rights reserved.
URL: http://www.outinamerica.com/Arts/dine.asp?articleid=4920
Rodney Smiley
[11/23/05]
(as published on www.outinamerica.com )
One of the best things about being gay (aside from the nice clothes, rapier wit and legion of hair products) is the ability to turn ordinary events into fabulous occasions. We can take a party and make it a soiree, turn a meeting into a gathering and transform a wedding into … Well, some of us still have to work on that wedding part.
The holidays are no exception to this rule — and there’s no better holiday for a food-lover like me than Thanksgiving. And although it’s pretty standard fare, what with the turkey and the stuffing and the pies and gravy, with a little gayification your Thanksgiving meal can simply shine with fantastic feyness!
Below you’ll find a few of my favorite standard Thanksgiving recipes as prepared by some of the greatest celebrity chefs. These ain’t your Mama’s dishes, so buckle up and prepare for a fabulous Thanksgiving meal!
ALTON BROWN'S CRANBERRY DIPPING SAUCE
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown (Good Eats)
As an alternative to gravy, give this zesty alternative by food professor-extraordinaire Alton Brown a try. A cranberry dipping sauce, served in individual ramekins, is a great way to replace even the tastiest of gravies. Your guests will be able to spoon the sauce onto their plates or use the individual servings and dip away!
1 pound frozen cranberries
2 cups orange juice
3 cups ginger ale
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 orange, zested
Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan (stainless steel) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer while stirring occasionally for 30-45 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Carefully puree with stick blender or blender until smooth. Check for seasoning and serve in small ramekins.
GIADA DE LAURENTIIS' TURKEY WITH HERBES DE PROVENCE AND CITRUS
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis (Everyday Italian)
Giada, with her model looks and old world talent, is fond of this bird that may take a little time to prepare, but just think how many times your guests will call you Kitchen Goddess when you present them with a flavorful turkey they can brag about later!
1 (14 to 15-pound) turkey, neck and giblets reserved
1 orange, cut into wedges
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 onion, cut into wedges
6 fresh rosemary sprigs
6 fresh sage sprigs
6 fresh oregano sprigs
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth (approximate amount)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
To make the turkey: Position the rack in the lowest third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the turkey on a rack set inside a large roasting pan. Place the orange and lemon wedges, onion, and two sprigs of each fresh herb in the main turkey cavity. Tie the legs together to hold the shape of the turkey. Stir two tablespoons of butter, herbes de Provence, oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat just until the butter melts. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey and between the turkey breast meat and skin. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point one day ahead.) Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before roasting.Cover the turkey breast with foil. Roast for 20 minutes. Pour three cups of broth into the pan. Add the remaining sprigs of fresh herbs to the pan. Roast the turkey for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the foil from the turkey; pour one more cup of broth into the pan. Continue roasting the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165-175 degrees F or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Basting occasionally with pan juices for about 90 minutes longer. Transfer the turkey to a platter and tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes.
INA GARTEN'S ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Copyright 2005, Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) All Rights Reserved
Yes, I said brussels sprouts. But keep in mind, these dishes are not what your mother forced upon you – these are what Ina, chef and perfect-party-planner prepares for you! These sprouts are as tasty and delicious as a college lacrosse team.
1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off the brown ends of the brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35-40 minutes until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and serve immediately.
PAULA DEEN’S HOME COOKING PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD TRIFLE
Courtesy of Paula Deen, Lady & Sons — Savannah, Ga.
Hailing from my home state of Georgia, Paula Deen personifies the classic, brassy Southern Woman (think Steel Magnolias meets Julia Child). Her recipe for a Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle is as spectacular to look at as it is to eat.
2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
1 (5.1-ounce) package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional
Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble one batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, attractive bowl. Pour half of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle on top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.
© 2005 Food Network. All rights reserved.
URL: http://www.outinamerica.com/Arts/dine.asp?articleid=4920
Friday, October 28, 2005
Taurus, 10-28-2005
Taurus
1745 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-214-0641
www.taurusrestaurant.com
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.sovo.com)
A chophouse on Peachtree
Well-executed menu and swanky surroundings could make Taurus’ blend of steakhouse and modern bistro a recipe for success.
By RODNEY SMILEY
Friday, October 28, 2005
Atop the third level of an upscale Peachtree Street shopping center is Taurus, a new fusion of steakhouse and modern bistro featuring Chef Gary Mennie, formerly of Canoe. With its commanding presence overlooking the bustling thoroughfare and a partial Midtown skyline view from the wrap around balcony, Taurus has all the trappings of a mainstay for diners in Atlanta.
The sexy deep red décor, plush seating, including a spectacular center seating area, muted lighting and a whip-and-thwack of new jazz in the background make for an expectation of greatness.
But the climb to the top of Atlanta’s dining scene requires much more than window dressing.
Taurus boasts a return to the great American chophouse, a lofty goal in a city with no less than half a dozen well-regarded steakhouses. But as with most new restaurants, small mishaps and planning incongruities might work to dissuade diners.
On a recent visit, the team of hosts — with two separate check-in kiosks — not only directed me to the wrong table, but asked if I’d mind returning to the vestibule while they found the correct table.
A few minutes later, another host directed me to my table, complete with staff still polishing the previous diners’ drippings. The dining room was filled with young suburbanites and a smattering of city dwellers.
A large bar area, with a well stocked spirits wall and tables and booths for more casual dining, is available for those interested. It’s an open space with candles and several ready-to-pour bartenders.
A genuinely nice server welcomed me, though upon swooping in all smiles, advised me that he would be right back, but it wouldn’t be too long. On his return, menus in hand and suggestions on his brain, I get the chance to finally look at the night’s menu.
Taurus, in a rather novel move, offers the “roast of the day” in place of a soup of the day or a daily special. Each day is a different roast — one day, Prime Rib, another Rack of Veal. This visit being a Saturday night, the roast is a tempting Oak Roasted Pork Rack with marscapone polenta and a sweet onion marmalade.
To round out a thorough tasting of the menu, I choose a goat cheese and spinach salad with rosemary dressing, creamy artichoke soup with peekytoe crab, and my favorite surprise of the evening, crispy quail with grilled peaches and arugula.
After an annoyingly long wait, first to the table is the quail, served in little winglets that are crisply breaded and deep fried. It’s juicy, gamey and quite fantastic. Paired with the peaches it’s savory sweet satisfaction.
The goat cheese and spinach salad is lightly dressed with a clean and fresh rosemary dressing. It’s delightful.
Next to arrive is a small bowl of artichoke soup, seemingly without peekytoe crab. The soup is so well blended that I can’t determine if it contains the quirky-named crab. It’s bland and lukewarm, which is never a good combination for a soup.
Fortunately, the soup is outshined by the entrees that arrive.
Lamb chops and the evening’s roast-of-the-day Pork arrive, bringing with them the customary delight that former Canoe diners expect from Mennie.
Succulent, juicy and seasoned nearly to perfection, the lamb is the best I’ve had in quite some time. Similarly, whether due to Oak Roasting or some other kitchen magic, the pork, served in four large square cuts, is well worth an order. Not overly moist, but served with a glaze that provides a moist base, it’s a fine plate of pork.
The dessert menu at Taurus is standard fare — a tart of this, a slice of that — but the trio of house-made sorbets in varying flavors should be a quick favorite. From mango to coconut, raspberry to chocolate, they’re really light and refreshing after such a hearty meal.
1745 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-214-0641
www.taurusrestaurant.com
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.sovo.com)
A chophouse on Peachtree
Well-executed menu and swanky surroundings could make Taurus’ blend of steakhouse and modern bistro a recipe for success.
By RODNEY SMILEY
Friday, October 28, 2005
Atop the third level of an upscale Peachtree Street shopping center is Taurus, a new fusion of steakhouse and modern bistro featuring Chef Gary Mennie, formerly of Canoe. With its commanding presence overlooking the bustling thoroughfare and a partial Midtown skyline view from the wrap around balcony, Taurus has all the trappings of a mainstay for diners in Atlanta.
The sexy deep red décor, plush seating, including a spectacular center seating area, muted lighting and a whip-and-thwack of new jazz in the background make for an expectation of greatness.
But the climb to the top of Atlanta’s dining scene requires much more than window dressing.
Taurus boasts a return to the great American chophouse, a lofty goal in a city with no less than half a dozen well-regarded steakhouses. But as with most new restaurants, small mishaps and planning incongruities might work to dissuade diners.
On a recent visit, the team of hosts — with two separate check-in kiosks — not only directed me to the wrong table, but asked if I’d mind returning to the vestibule while they found the correct table.
A few minutes later, another host directed me to my table, complete with staff still polishing the previous diners’ drippings. The dining room was filled with young suburbanites and a smattering of city dwellers.
A large bar area, with a well stocked spirits wall and tables and booths for more casual dining, is available for those interested. It’s an open space with candles and several ready-to-pour bartenders.
A genuinely nice server welcomed me, though upon swooping in all smiles, advised me that he would be right back, but it wouldn’t be too long. On his return, menus in hand and suggestions on his brain, I get the chance to finally look at the night’s menu.
Taurus, in a rather novel move, offers the “roast of the day” in place of a soup of the day or a daily special. Each day is a different roast — one day, Prime Rib, another Rack of Veal. This visit being a Saturday night, the roast is a tempting Oak Roasted Pork Rack with marscapone polenta and a sweet onion marmalade.
To round out a thorough tasting of the menu, I choose a goat cheese and spinach salad with rosemary dressing, creamy artichoke soup with peekytoe crab, and my favorite surprise of the evening, crispy quail with grilled peaches and arugula.
After an annoyingly long wait, first to the table is the quail, served in little winglets that are crisply breaded and deep fried. It’s juicy, gamey and quite fantastic. Paired with the peaches it’s savory sweet satisfaction.
The goat cheese and spinach salad is lightly dressed with a clean and fresh rosemary dressing. It’s delightful.
Next to arrive is a small bowl of artichoke soup, seemingly without peekytoe crab. The soup is so well blended that I can’t determine if it contains the quirky-named crab. It’s bland and lukewarm, which is never a good combination for a soup.
Fortunately, the soup is outshined by the entrees that arrive.
Lamb chops and the evening’s roast-of-the-day Pork arrive, bringing with them the customary delight that former Canoe diners expect from Mennie.
Succulent, juicy and seasoned nearly to perfection, the lamb is the best I’ve had in quite some time. Similarly, whether due to Oak Roasting or some other kitchen magic, the pork, served in four large square cuts, is well worth an order. Not overly moist, but served with a glaze that provides a moist base, it’s a fine plate of pork.
The dessert menu at Taurus is standard fare — a tart of this, a slice of that — but the trio of house-made sorbets in varying flavors should be a quick favorite. From mango to coconut, raspberry to chocolate, they’re really light and refreshing after such a hearty meal.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week, 08-15 thru 08-21
Downtown Delights
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)
Central Atlanta Progress presents Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week Aug. 15-21. Founded in 2002, the event is designed to highlight several of downtown’s premium restaurants.
Restaurant week is a great opportunity for dilettante diners to experience multiple-course meals at prices that are more affordable than many of the high-end participants usually offer. Some of Atlanta’s finest bistros and cafes offer three-course prix fixe meals for $20.05 per person. A few more casual restaurants offer two meals at that price.
Restaurants include Luxe and Pacific Rim Bistro, two of downtown’s hippest hangouts, as well as such Atlanta staples as City Grill and Pittypat’s Porch. Also on the list is casual spot Mick’s, seafood restaurant McCormick & Schmick’s and the Marquis Steakhouse.
To attract out-of-towners to the event, downtown hotels offer a $60.05 reservation rate on Aug. 19-20, and several downtown attractions, including the Braves Museum, Centennial Park and Oakland Cemetery, welcome Restaurant Week patrons.
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)
Central Atlanta Progress presents Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week Aug. 15-21. Founded in 2002, the event is designed to highlight several of downtown’s premium restaurants.
Restaurant week is a great opportunity for dilettante diners to experience multiple-course meals at prices that are more affordable than many of the high-end participants usually offer. Some of Atlanta’s finest bistros and cafes offer three-course prix fixe meals for $20.05 per person. A few more casual restaurants offer two meals at that price.
Restaurants include Luxe and Pacific Rim Bistro, two of downtown’s hippest hangouts, as well as such Atlanta staples as City Grill and Pittypat’s Porch. Also on the list is casual spot Mick’s, seafood restaurant McCormick & Schmick’s and the Marquis Steakhouse.
To attract out-of-towners to the event, downtown hotels offer a $60.05 reservation rate on Aug. 19-20, and several downtown attractions, including the Braves Museum, Centennial Park and Oakland Cemetery, welcome Restaurant Week patrons.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Jubilant Julia, 08-12-2005
Jubilant Julia
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
In the early 1960s, corporate America opened its doors to housewives from sea to shining sea, leaving little time for the traditional “Honey, I’m home” evening. With this women-to-work phenomenon came the need for convenient and speedy day-to-day living, especially in the kitchen. Grocery stores were filled with TV dinners, canned meals and quick-and-easy chefing ideas for the “modern” housewife.
But on February 11, 1963, a fledgling show titled The French Chef began airing in Boston, and the “just add water” sentiment that had plagued the nation finally met its match.
The first true television chef, Julia Child brought about a renaissance in American kitchens. Classically trained in the kitchen and a published author (her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking is still a bookshelf must), Julia Child brought a welcomed rebirth of the love of cooking.
Over the years, her “every-woman” look, de-stylized clothes and rangy voice brought her a wealth of fans, many of which were gay. Gay men everywhere saw this unpretentious, down-to-earth woman as someone they could relate to – someone we all wished we knew. A combination of Aunt Betty, the loud-mouthed, wine-drinking favorite aunt, and Miss Lora, the uncouth, irrepressible neighbor, we identified with Julia Child just as we have with many of the world’s leading ladies.
Her recipes were not quick and easy, and although her preparation techniques were at times clunky, she showed women that they needn’t be afraid of the kitchen – or cooking. But women weren’t the only ones watching.
Seeing this loud, broad-shouldered, loving woman dressed much like a Benny Hill character, gay men fell in love with her honest and likeable persona. Tall and big boned, she had a wit about her sharp enough to julienne parsnips. She encompassed all the things we love in our iconic women. Plus, she loved parsley and coriander. Julia Child became a favorite celebrity of gay men as she kneaded her no-nonsense style of cooking into an art form. And many of us have probably taken to the kitchen, apron and all, pretending to be the Great One herself at least once, if not frequently (although I’m not admitting to anything).
She didn’t put on “airs,” as so many famous chefs were known to do. She was approachable and comfortable. She knew how to cut up a chicken and always advised to save the fat. She loved a good air kiss. And even though she sometimes burned whatever she happened to have in the oven, be it chicken, pie shells or beans, female viewers watched as she picked up the pieces and started over with a mere chuckle and a smirk.
But there was also a sternness that only peeked through the surface. She definitely had her own opinions and ideas about food and was not afraid to share them. While working with the occasional guest chef, it was a frequent occurrence for Julia to politely but sternly insist upon “more salt” or “less heat.” She knew how to take charge.
When it came time to eat, Julia Child was oblivious to the meaning of “princess bites.” It seems her joy of cooking might have been easily matched by her joy of eating. And good wine. She did love her wine.
So it should come as no surprise that Julia Child is a gay icon. Spending her life wrapped in an apron, surrounded by good food, great wine and a seemingly endless supply of poncey chef friends always willing to offer up an air kiss, she whipped, chopped and cleaved her way into our community not only as a master chef and TV personality, but as a well-loved and respected matriarch of gay kitchens.
In the past year since her death, it seems little has changed in the world’s perception of Julia Child. Loved, respected and revered in life, her legacy lives on as vibrantly as before. Here’s to you, Miss Julia – may you never burn the chicken again.
Bon appétit!
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
In the early 1960s, corporate America opened its doors to housewives from sea to shining sea, leaving little time for the traditional “Honey, I’m home” evening. With this women-to-work phenomenon came the need for convenient and speedy day-to-day living, especially in the kitchen. Grocery stores were filled with TV dinners, canned meals and quick-and-easy chefing ideas for the “modern” housewife.
But on February 11, 1963, a fledgling show titled The French Chef began airing in Boston, and the “just add water” sentiment that had plagued the nation finally met its match.
The first true television chef, Julia Child brought about a renaissance in American kitchens. Classically trained in the kitchen and a published author (her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking is still a bookshelf must), Julia Child brought a welcomed rebirth of the love of cooking.
Over the years, her “every-woman” look, de-stylized clothes and rangy voice brought her a wealth of fans, many of which were gay. Gay men everywhere saw this unpretentious, down-to-earth woman as someone they could relate to – someone we all wished we knew. A combination of Aunt Betty, the loud-mouthed, wine-drinking favorite aunt, and Miss Lora, the uncouth, irrepressible neighbor, we identified with Julia Child just as we have with many of the world’s leading ladies.
Her recipes were not quick and easy, and although her preparation techniques were at times clunky, she showed women that they needn’t be afraid of the kitchen – or cooking. But women weren’t the only ones watching.
Seeing this loud, broad-shouldered, loving woman dressed much like a Benny Hill character, gay men fell in love with her honest and likeable persona. Tall and big boned, she had a wit about her sharp enough to julienne parsnips. She encompassed all the things we love in our iconic women. Plus, she loved parsley and coriander. Julia Child became a favorite celebrity of gay men as she kneaded her no-nonsense style of cooking into an art form. And many of us have probably taken to the kitchen, apron and all, pretending to be the Great One herself at least once, if not frequently (although I’m not admitting to anything).
She didn’t put on “airs,” as so many famous chefs were known to do. She was approachable and comfortable. She knew how to cut up a chicken and always advised to save the fat. She loved a good air kiss. And even though she sometimes burned whatever she happened to have in the oven, be it chicken, pie shells or beans, female viewers watched as she picked up the pieces and started over with a mere chuckle and a smirk.
But there was also a sternness that only peeked through the surface. She definitely had her own opinions and ideas about food and was not afraid to share them. While working with the occasional guest chef, it was a frequent occurrence for Julia to politely but sternly insist upon “more salt” or “less heat.” She knew how to take charge.
When it came time to eat, Julia Child was oblivious to the meaning of “princess bites.” It seems her joy of cooking might have been easily matched by her joy of eating. And good wine. She did love her wine.
So it should come as no surprise that Julia Child is a gay icon. Spending her life wrapped in an apron, surrounded by good food, great wine and a seemingly endless supply of poncey chef friends always willing to offer up an air kiss, she whipped, chopped and cleaved her way into our community not only as a master chef and TV personality, but as a well-loved and respected matriarch of gay kitchens.
In the past year since her death, it seems little has changed in the world’s perception of Julia Child. Loved, respected and revered in life, her legacy lives on as vibrantly as before. Here’s to you, Miss Julia – may you never burn the chicken again.
Bon appétit!
Friday, July 08, 2005
the Globe, 07-08-2005
the Globe
75 5th St.
Atlanta, GA
404-541-1487
http://www.globeatlanta.com/
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)
Catching a VIP vibe
New midtown restaurant blends cool décor with hot dishes that offer a Globe-al chill.
Friday, July 08, 2005
JUST Walking into the Globe is a pleasure all its own. A cool color palate and a modern open design is punctuated by large cream-colored glowing globes suspended from the ceiling.
It’s an extraordinary space. Low furnishings lend a casual yet sophisticated feel to a vibe so hip that diners could swear they are perched in the hottest new restaurant in SoHo.
Books and laptops are more than welcome here, but even with its proximity to Georgia Tech, the Globe is no college hang out.
Quite simply, this place is hot. Young and sexy servers whip around the dining areas to low-thumping neo soul music. The Globe is a place like none other in Atlanta. Hints of industrial elements are mixed with chic casual comfort.
But the motif of the Globe’s design scheme is merely fancy, if not fine, dressing for a wonderfully able kitchen. Chef Josh Perkins, formerly of Commune, brings an apt hand and a flair for simple dishes with complex flavors to the Globe.
The menu OFFERS THE most noteworthy nod to the restaurant’s name. It encompasses ingredients and flavors from regions, literally, around the globe. An easy favorite are grilled Georgia peaches topped with Spanish blue cheese and served with a helping of Serrano ham ($9). The peaches are sweet, firm and grilled perfectly; the cheese and ham add a salty balance to the dish.
Another starter, crab fritters with an orange-mango salad ($7), blends the pungent-ness of the meat with the sweetness of the fruit. It’s a bold combination that works quite well.
Oysters ($8), grouper ceviche ($7), gazpacho ($4) and chorizo and sage croquettes ($5) are also available. “Graze plates” further demonstrate the Globe’s fancy for world flavors.
The Globe’s entrees range from rather pedestrian offerings including spicy spaghetti ($12) and a nicoise salad ($13), to more adventurous fare (coriander duck breast, $18). The duck is served skin-on, rubbed with a coriander mixture, grilled and served sliced on a pallet of wilted spinach. It’s heavy coriander, but the gamey duck easily carries the weight of the spice. It’s luscious.
Another rather ordinary but surprisingly tasty dish is the grilled skirt steak frites ($18). The steak is faultlessly grilled and mildly seasoned so the flavor of the prime meat shines through. The frites, or fries, are cut large and just a bit overcooked, but they are merely a vehicle to soak up the wonderful juice from the steak.
If “sopping” is your kind of thing.
Rounding out the menu is a list of desserts ($5.50) that again run the international gamut. From warm chocolate cake to espresso and orange panna cotta served with chocolate biscotti, the dessert menu is a belt-busting topper to a wonderful meal. Save room for one of these delights.
An extensive wine menu ranges from inexpensive Italian proseco to midpriced French bordeaux. The selection bumps up the sophistication level another notch. Available by the glass, split or bottle, this list of libations is one of the city’s finest.
Whether lounging after work with some bubbly and a few small plates, or bringing your special honey out for a well-prepared meal, the Globe is hard to beat for a casually stylish time.
And if the diners are looking for a place to accommodate a large group or just want that VIP vibe scene, the Globe offers a private room called the “Library.” Complete with bookcases and sitting areas, the room can be closed off from the rest of the restaurant. It’s a perfect spot for special dinners or a jolly cocktail party.
The Globe succeeds where many of Atlanta’s newest bistros fail, combining hipness with hearty food, design with delicious plates. It’s a globe-al chill with no warming trend in sight.
75 5th St.
Atlanta, GA
404-541-1487
http://www.globeatlanta.com/
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)
Catching a VIP vibe
New midtown restaurant blends cool décor with hot dishes that offer a Globe-al chill.
Friday, July 08, 2005
JUST Walking into the Globe is a pleasure all its own. A cool color palate and a modern open design is punctuated by large cream-colored glowing globes suspended from the ceiling.
It’s an extraordinary space. Low furnishings lend a casual yet sophisticated feel to a vibe so hip that diners could swear they are perched in the hottest new restaurant in SoHo.
Books and laptops are more than welcome here, but even with its proximity to Georgia Tech, the Globe is no college hang out.
Quite simply, this place is hot. Young and sexy servers whip around the dining areas to low-thumping neo soul music. The Globe is a place like none other in Atlanta. Hints of industrial elements are mixed with chic casual comfort.
But the motif of the Globe’s design scheme is merely fancy, if not fine, dressing for a wonderfully able kitchen. Chef Josh Perkins, formerly of Commune, brings an apt hand and a flair for simple dishes with complex flavors to the Globe.
The menu OFFERS THE most noteworthy nod to the restaurant’s name. It encompasses ingredients and flavors from regions, literally, around the globe. An easy favorite are grilled Georgia peaches topped with Spanish blue cheese and served with a helping of Serrano ham ($9). The peaches are sweet, firm and grilled perfectly; the cheese and ham add a salty balance to the dish.
Another starter, crab fritters with an orange-mango salad ($7), blends the pungent-ness of the meat with the sweetness of the fruit. It’s a bold combination that works quite well.
Oysters ($8), grouper ceviche ($7), gazpacho ($4) and chorizo and sage croquettes ($5) are also available. “Graze plates” further demonstrate the Globe’s fancy for world flavors.
The Globe’s entrees range from rather pedestrian offerings including spicy spaghetti ($12) and a nicoise salad ($13), to more adventurous fare (coriander duck breast, $18). The duck is served skin-on, rubbed with a coriander mixture, grilled and served sliced on a pallet of wilted spinach. It’s heavy coriander, but the gamey duck easily carries the weight of the spice. It’s luscious.
Another rather ordinary but surprisingly tasty dish is the grilled skirt steak frites ($18). The steak is faultlessly grilled and mildly seasoned so the flavor of the prime meat shines through. The frites, or fries, are cut large and just a bit overcooked, but they are merely a vehicle to soak up the wonderful juice from the steak.
If “sopping” is your kind of thing.
Rounding out the menu is a list of desserts ($5.50) that again run the international gamut. From warm chocolate cake to espresso and orange panna cotta served with chocolate biscotti, the dessert menu is a belt-busting topper to a wonderful meal. Save room for one of these delights.
An extensive wine menu ranges from inexpensive Italian proseco to midpriced French bordeaux. The selection bumps up the sophistication level another notch. Available by the glass, split or bottle, this list of libations is one of the city’s finest.
Whether lounging after work with some bubbly and a few small plates, or bringing your special honey out for a well-prepared meal, the Globe is hard to beat for a casually stylish time.
And if the diners are looking for a place to accommodate a large group or just want that VIP vibe scene, the Globe offers a private room called the “Library.” Complete with bookcases and sitting areas, the room can be closed off from the rest of the restaurant. It’s a perfect spot for special dinners or a jolly cocktail party.
The Globe succeeds where many of Atlanta’s newest bistros fail, combining hipness with hearty food, design with delicious plates. It’s a globe-al chill with no warming trend in sight.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Take It Outside!, 06-24-2005
Take It Outside!
Rodney Smiley
Friday, June 24, 2005
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
The Italians define alfresco as “taking place or located in the open air.” But it’s so much more than that.
Dining outdoors is a relaxing, comfortable affair, full of balmy breezes, sunshine or starry nights.
Sandwiched between the pollen season and the nippy nights of fall, summertime is filled with many restaurants that toss open their windows, raise table umbrellas and invite patrons to take pleasure in the outside. Most restaurants have at least one option for alfresco: a patio, an open air dining room or a lush and green garden. These are the most popular alternatives for an outdoor meal.
But other options are around, if you know just where to look. In Atlanta, a summertime staple of dining en plein air is Turner.com’s Screen on the Green, a weekly nighttime showing of classic movies in the city’s largest park, Piedmont Park. Crowds congregate a few hours before dusk, layering the park with blankets, baskets of nibbles and bottles of wine. At sunset, the big screen lights up with any number of landmark movies.
Analogous to such a social event, a similar option is just a good old fashioned picnic – a gingham blanket, some fried chicken, a little Deet, and your sweetie. Picnicking is a time tested alternative to the romantic, indoor dinner. The Italians might call it “romantico alfresco,” romantic outdoor dining.
But arguably the most prevalent form of alfresco dining is restaurant style. Patios filled with vibrant umbrellas to help block the sun are peopled by diners enjoying salads, sandwiches and frozen drinks, and at nighttime tiny golden lights help set a romantic and unfussy mood for intimate suppers. Most cities have several restaurants offering alfresco dining, and it’s easy to find the best in each city. The Web is filled with online resources to help you find the “best of” each city, and outdoor dining is generally a preferred category.
Enjoy dining alfresco and remember your sunscreen!
Resources for finding some of the best outdoor (or any other) dining experience in your city:
City Pages
Digital City
City Search
About.com
GAYOT.com
Local.google.com
Rodney Smiley
Friday, June 24, 2005
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
The Italians define alfresco as “taking place or located in the open air.” But it’s so much more than that.
Dining outdoors is a relaxing, comfortable affair, full of balmy breezes, sunshine or starry nights.
Sandwiched between the pollen season and the nippy nights of fall, summertime is filled with many restaurants that toss open their windows, raise table umbrellas and invite patrons to take pleasure in the outside. Most restaurants have at least one option for alfresco: a patio, an open air dining room or a lush and green garden. These are the most popular alternatives for an outdoor meal.
But other options are around, if you know just where to look. In Atlanta, a summertime staple of dining en plein air is Turner.com’s Screen on the Green, a weekly nighttime showing of classic movies in the city’s largest park, Piedmont Park. Crowds congregate a few hours before dusk, layering the park with blankets, baskets of nibbles and bottles of wine. At sunset, the big screen lights up with any number of landmark movies.
Analogous to such a social event, a similar option is just a good old fashioned picnic – a gingham blanket, some fried chicken, a little Deet, and your sweetie. Picnicking is a time tested alternative to the romantic, indoor dinner. The Italians might call it “romantico alfresco,” romantic outdoor dining.
But arguably the most prevalent form of alfresco dining is restaurant style. Patios filled with vibrant umbrellas to help block the sun are peopled by diners enjoying salads, sandwiches and frozen drinks, and at nighttime tiny golden lights help set a romantic and unfussy mood for intimate suppers. Most cities have several restaurants offering alfresco dining, and it’s easy to find the best in each city. The Web is filled with online resources to help you find the “best of” each city, and outdoor dining is generally a preferred category.
Enjoy dining alfresco and remember your sunscreen!
Resources for finding some of the best outdoor (or any other) dining experience in your city:
City Pages
Digital City
City Search
About.com
GAYOT.com
Local.google.com
Friday, June 10, 2005
Hong Kong Harbour, 06-10-2005
Small bites = big delights
Hong Kong Harbour ranks tops for dim sum as family-run eatery on Cheshire Bridge thrives.
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)
By RODNEY SMILEY
Friday, June 10, 2005
The small-portioned dim sum that Americans enjoy today can be traced to the Cantonese provinces, where people traditionally gathered at teahouses in the morning and early afternoon to socialize or do business over snack-sized bites.
Literally translated, dim sum means “dot-hearts,” small treats that touch the heart.
In the U.S., where Spanish tapas are trendy as well, eateries modified the dim sum tradition to fit our unique dining preferences. Dim sum is now served as a brunch meal and is becoming popular with the fickle foodsters who are out for something other than eggs, bacon, biscuits and mimosas.
A local favorite among dim sum enthusiasts in the know, Hong Kong Harbour has managed through the years to maintain an authentic kitchen that serves up some of the most delectable bites in Atlanta. The dim sum experience here, served with cup after cup of house tea, is not to be missed.
Imported Chinese art hangs on every wall, framing the basic dining room in a tapestry of colors that are typical of any number of noodle houses around the city. Focal points include a wall-sized mural of rich gold and deep blue and large fresh crab & lobster tanks that serve as part of the decor.
But the dim sum experience is not about ordering from the menu or from a fresh tank. Half the fun is picking what you want from carts that whiz by every five or 10 minutes.
The savory dishes, steamed or pan-fried dumplings filled with shrimp and pork and even shark fin, are hustled around the restaurant on fast moving metal carts wielded by some of the nicest servers in town.
Diners may experience a small language barrier with the servers, but they are willing to take time and explain exactly what each dish is and how it should be served.
One of the best dim sum dishes at Hong Kong Harbour is the sticky, glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf. A ball of rice stuffed with shrimp, chicken and pork is wrapped in an authentic lotus leaf. The server can cut it open if desired, and as soon as the first cut is made, the steam and savory scent permeates the air around the table.
Another favorite is pot stickers. Pan seared until just crisp, these pork stuffed wontons are served naked, without sauce, until they hit the table. The server then pours a wonderful soy based sauce over the little delights. Save the sauce, because it works well with any number of other dumplings for dipping.
Included in the nearly 100 dim sum menu items, Hong Kong Harbour also serves sweet pastries
and vegetables as part of this rolling feast.
Traditionally, Chinese custom does not include saving sweets for the end of the meal, so interspersed with the savory items are sesame coated sweet puff balls and tiny coconut cakes to help round out the meal, if you’re so inclined.
Still, saving a little extra room for at least one sweet treat near the end is recommended. Of course, by the end of a typical dim sum experience at Hong Kong Harbour, “extra room” may be relative, and not always easy to find.
Hong Kong Harbour ranks tops for dim sum as family-run eatery on Cheshire Bridge thrives.
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)
By RODNEY SMILEY
Friday, June 10, 2005
The small-portioned dim sum that Americans enjoy today can be traced to the Cantonese provinces, where people traditionally gathered at teahouses in the morning and early afternoon to socialize or do business over snack-sized bites.
Literally translated, dim sum means “dot-hearts,” small treats that touch the heart.
In the U.S., where Spanish tapas are trendy as well, eateries modified the dim sum tradition to fit our unique dining preferences. Dim sum is now served as a brunch meal and is becoming popular with the fickle foodsters who are out for something other than eggs, bacon, biscuits and mimosas.
A local favorite among dim sum enthusiasts in the know, Hong Kong Harbour has managed through the years to maintain an authentic kitchen that serves up some of the most delectable bites in Atlanta. The dim sum experience here, served with cup after cup of house tea, is not to be missed.
Imported Chinese art hangs on every wall, framing the basic dining room in a tapestry of colors that are typical of any number of noodle houses around the city. Focal points include a wall-sized mural of rich gold and deep blue and large fresh crab & lobster tanks that serve as part of the decor.
But the dim sum experience is not about ordering from the menu or from a fresh tank. Half the fun is picking what you want from carts that whiz by every five or 10 minutes.
The savory dishes, steamed or pan-fried dumplings filled with shrimp and pork and even shark fin, are hustled around the restaurant on fast moving metal carts wielded by some of the nicest servers in town.
Diners may experience a small language barrier with the servers, but they are willing to take time and explain exactly what each dish is and how it should be served.
One of the best dim sum dishes at Hong Kong Harbour is the sticky, glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf. A ball of rice stuffed with shrimp, chicken and pork is wrapped in an authentic lotus leaf. The server can cut it open if desired, and as soon as the first cut is made, the steam and savory scent permeates the air around the table.
Another favorite is pot stickers. Pan seared until just crisp, these pork stuffed wontons are served naked, without sauce, until they hit the table. The server then pours a wonderful soy based sauce over the little delights. Save the sauce, because it works well with any number of other dumplings for dipping.
Included in the nearly 100 dim sum menu items, Hong Kong Harbour also serves sweet pastries
and vegetables as part of this rolling feast.
Traditionally, Chinese custom does not include saving sweets for the end of the meal, so interspersed with the savory items are sesame coated sweet puff balls and tiny coconut cakes to help round out the meal, if you’re so inclined.
Still, saving a little extra room for at least one sweet treat near the end is recommended. Of course, by the end of a typical dim sum experience at Hong Kong Harbour, “extra room” may be relative, and not always easy to find.
Chic Kabobs, 06-10-2005
Chic Kabobs
Rodney Smiley
Friday, June 10, 2005
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
You may think kabobs are a fairly modern, even North American, style of cooking. They certainly are festive – multi-colored vegetables (or fruit) skewered alongside rich cuts of chicken, beef or even sausage. Kabobs are fun to prepare and when you get creative, give a great presentation (imagine six or seven kabobs sticking straight up out of a melon as the centerpiece).
But in fact, kabobs are far, far older than you’d think. The Afghans, most of whose food derives from Persian cuisine, have been eating kabobs for generations. Typically thought of as fast food, they are a staple of Afghan life. Made from lamb, mutton or beef, kabobs are traditionally served with bread, vegetables or a salad.
Hungry yet? Well, in the next few months of summertime barbecues and outdoor events, try hosting a kabob party for your friends!
Planning is easy and prep and cook time can be shared among your guests. When sending invitations, be sure to assign a portion of the work to each guest. Some may chop vegetables while others cut meat and others prepare sides. It’s a great way to get your guests involved and keep them entertained at the same time!
Here are a few tips for a successful kabob party:
Soak the skewers
If you’re using wood skewers (and I suggest that you do), always soak them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to assembly and grilling. It will keep them from scorching or burning and help the individual pieces slide on easier.
Divide up the work
Put one or two guests in charge of chopping the vegetables or fruit. Have another couple or three cut the meat into small pieces. If you’re having additional side dishes (tabouli goes great with kabobs as does a field green salad or even roasted potatoes), have the remainder of your guests work on getting the side items prepared.
Everyone skewer!
In lieu of having just a couple of your guests assemble the kabobs, let everyone skewer their own. Some may want more beef, others may want chicken only and your vegetarian friends will be able to have a meatless kabob.
Chill and grill
While this cutting, preparation and skewering is going on, you as the host should be doing three things – making sure everyone is happy, pre-heating the grill and preparing cocktails for your guests. When all the kabobs are ready, have your guests wash up and chill with a cocktail or two while you grill.
Serve
Once cooked, either plate the kabobs according to the individual preferences or, if no one made their own, a great way to plate is to pile high on a serving platter in a log cabin fashion. You could even put your salad in the space in the middle and serve with a pair of long handled tongs. Make sure you serve salad at the same time as kabobs or your salad will spill over the side!
Your guests will love the group participation and you’ll save yourself quite a bit of hustle and be able to enjoy your guests, as well as your kabobs!
Basic kabobs
This is a basic kabob recipe. Feel free to add your own tastes and style – cut potatoes work great as do whole small onions and pineapple.
Meat, chicken or both, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
Mushrooms, either whole small mushrooms or halved large mushrooms
Green onions, cut into 1 inch segments
Red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch segments
Olive Oil
Fresh thyme leaves
Grated ginger
Brushing glaze
Mix ½ cup olive oil with thyme leaves, pepper and grated ginger. Let sit for at least 30 minutes prior to brushing. Prepare the kabobs, threading each skewer with alternating ingredients. When ready to put on the grill, give each kabob a brushing of the glaze just before they hit the heat.
Rodney Smiley
Friday, June 10, 2005
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
You may think kabobs are a fairly modern, even North American, style of cooking. They certainly are festive – multi-colored vegetables (or fruit) skewered alongside rich cuts of chicken, beef or even sausage. Kabobs are fun to prepare and when you get creative, give a great presentation (imagine six or seven kabobs sticking straight up out of a melon as the centerpiece).
But in fact, kabobs are far, far older than you’d think. The Afghans, most of whose food derives from Persian cuisine, have been eating kabobs for generations. Typically thought of as fast food, they are a staple of Afghan life. Made from lamb, mutton or beef, kabobs are traditionally served with bread, vegetables or a salad.
Hungry yet? Well, in the next few months of summertime barbecues and outdoor events, try hosting a kabob party for your friends!
Planning is easy and prep and cook time can be shared among your guests. When sending invitations, be sure to assign a portion of the work to each guest. Some may chop vegetables while others cut meat and others prepare sides. It’s a great way to get your guests involved and keep them entertained at the same time!
Here are a few tips for a successful kabob party:
Soak the skewers
If you’re using wood skewers (and I suggest that you do), always soak them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to assembly and grilling. It will keep them from scorching or burning and help the individual pieces slide on easier.
Divide up the work
Put one or two guests in charge of chopping the vegetables or fruit. Have another couple or three cut the meat into small pieces. If you’re having additional side dishes (tabouli goes great with kabobs as does a field green salad or even roasted potatoes), have the remainder of your guests work on getting the side items prepared.
Everyone skewer!
In lieu of having just a couple of your guests assemble the kabobs, let everyone skewer their own. Some may want more beef, others may want chicken only and your vegetarian friends will be able to have a meatless kabob.
Chill and grill
While this cutting, preparation and skewering is going on, you as the host should be doing three things – making sure everyone is happy, pre-heating the grill and preparing cocktails for your guests. When all the kabobs are ready, have your guests wash up and chill with a cocktail or two while you grill.
Serve
Once cooked, either plate the kabobs according to the individual preferences or, if no one made their own, a great way to plate is to pile high on a serving platter in a log cabin fashion. You could even put your salad in the space in the middle and serve with a pair of long handled tongs. Make sure you serve salad at the same time as kabobs or your salad will spill over the side!
Your guests will love the group participation and you’ll save yourself quite a bit of hustle and be able to enjoy your guests, as well as your kabobs!
Basic kabobs
This is a basic kabob recipe. Feel free to add your own tastes and style – cut potatoes work great as do whole small onions and pineapple.
Meat, chicken or both, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
Mushrooms, either whole small mushrooms or halved large mushrooms
Green onions, cut into 1 inch segments
Red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch segments
Olive Oil
Fresh thyme leaves
Grated ginger
Brushing glaze
Mix ½ cup olive oil with thyme leaves, pepper and grated ginger. Let sit for at least 30 minutes prior to brushing. Prepare the kabobs, threading each skewer with alternating ingredients. When ready to put on the grill, give each kabob a brushing of the glaze just before they hit the heat.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Easy Summertime Salads, 05-27-2005
Easy Summer Salads
Rodney Smiley
Friday, May 27, 2005
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
If you’re like me, there’s nothing better than sitting around with your friends over a meal, talking, feasting and enjoying the summertime. Whether outside or inside, it’s always a treat to share food, stories and laughter. It’s such an easy recipe for having a great time.
But if you’re in charge of preparing the meal, cooking over a hot stove or tending to a grill outside in the summer sun probably aren’t at the top of your to-do list. All that sweat and smoke hardly allow you any time to enjoy your company, much less your meal.
Summertime salads are a wonderful alternative to a cooked meal. Traditionally served as a side dish, many people are now finding summer salads also make for a great main course. With a little chilled wine and some fresh bread, you’ve prepared a great warm-weather meal without breaking a sweat.
Below are several of my favorite summertime salads. Whether served alone or with a bit of protein (such as fish, chicken, or even good sausage) these salads are original, easy to prepare, and guaranteed to please.
Even though you’re not serving hamburgers or grilled chicken, there’s no reason you can’t serve one hell of a beefed-up salad. And it makes a fantastic substitution for chips.
Papaya and Avocado Salad
1 Florida avocado, peeled and cut into large dice
1 ripe papaya, peeled and cut into large dice
1/2 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch baby arugula
2 tablespoons tarragon leaves
Orange and Vanilla Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Layer salad with arugula and tarragon, then avocado, papaya and onions. Finally drizzle with vinaigrette.
Vinaigrette: 1 cup orange juice 1 vanilla bean, split 1 garlic clove, pureed with knife 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt, to taste Fresh ground black pepper
To a saucepan add orange juice, split vanilla bean and scrape seeds into juice. Add vanilla bean to juice, bring to a simmer and reduce liquid by 2/3. Meanwhile, smash garlic clove with a pinch of salt using flat side of a knife. Allow orange juice reduction to cool, remove vanilla bean, then add garlic puree, rice wine vinegar and olive oil. Stir well and season with salt and pepper.
Panzanella Salad
1/2 pound day old chewy farm style bread, cubed
Water, to cover
4 small vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn or shredded
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place bread in a medium mixing bowl and cover with water. Soak bread 3-5 minutes. In small batches, remove bread in handfuls from the water and wring out without mashing or tearing. You don’t want wet bread, so wring it carefully. Combine tomatoes with onions and basil in a second bowl and dress with vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Add bread to tomato salad and combine. Adjust seasonings and serve.
Parsley Walnut Salad
2 bunches fresh parsley
1 cup pitted kalamata, Greek, or nicoise olives (about 1 1/4 cups with pits)
1 cup walnuts, toasted*
1 bunch green onions
2 large tomatoes, peeled and seeded
1/3 cup good-quality extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt Freshly ground coarse black pepper
Remove stems from parsley and mince either by hand or with quick pulses in a food processor. Parsley should be finely chopped, but if you use a food processor be careful not to puree it. Parsley should form a fluffy base for other textures. Chop the olives, walnuts, and green onions by hand into a rough dice. Dice the prepared tomatoes and drain. Combine all of the chopped ingredients in a large wooden bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and red pepper flakes and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
*To toast nuts: Place nuts in a dry sauté pan over medium heat. Toast, while shaking pan to avoid overheating in one spot. Remove from the heat after 3-5 minutes when nuts have achieved a pale golden color.
Cucumber Papaya Salad
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon minced Hawaiian chiles or chile paste
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 large papaya, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 lettuce leaves
Sprinkle cucumber with salt and let drain in a colander for 20 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. In a bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar, oil, chiles and ginger. Add cucumber, papaya, and cilantro and toss. Line a serving platter or 4 individual plates with lettuce leaves, and top each with about 1/2 cup of salad.
Rodney Smiley
Friday, May 27, 2005
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
If you’re like me, there’s nothing better than sitting around with your friends over a meal, talking, feasting and enjoying the summertime. Whether outside or inside, it’s always a treat to share food, stories and laughter. It’s such an easy recipe for having a great time.
But if you’re in charge of preparing the meal, cooking over a hot stove or tending to a grill outside in the summer sun probably aren’t at the top of your to-do list. All that sweat and smoke hardly allow you any time to enjoy your company, much less your meal.
Summertime salads are a wonderful alternative to a cooked meal. Traditionally served as a side dish, many people are now finding summer salads also make for a great main course. With a little chilled wine and some fresh bread, you’ve prepared a great warm-weather meal without breaking a sweat.
Below are several of my favorite summertime salads. Whether served alone or with a bit of protein (such as fish, chicken, or even good sausage) these salads are original, easy to prepare, and guaranteed to please.
Even though you’re not serving hamburgers or grilled chicken, there’s no reason you can’t serve one hell of a beefed-up salad. And it makes a fantastic substitution for chips.
Papaya and Avocado Salad
1 Florida avocado, peeled and cut into large dice
1 ripe papaya, peeled and cut into large dice
1/2 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch baby arugula
2 tablespoons tarragon leaves
Orange and Vanilla Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Layer salad with arugula and tarragon, then avocado, papaya and onions. Finally drizzle with vinaigrette.
Vinaigrette: 1 cup orange juice 1 vanilla bean, split 1 garlic clove, pureed with knife 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt, to taste Fresh ground black pepper
To a saucepan add orange juice, split vanilla bean and scrape seeds into juice. Add vanilla bean to juice, bring to a simmer and reduce liquid by 2/3. Meanwhile, smash garlic clove with a pinch of salt using flat side of a knife. Allow orange juice reduction to cool, remove vanilla bean, then add garlic puree, rice wine vinegar and olive oil. Stir well and season with salt and pepper.
Panzanella Salad
1/2 pound day old chewy farm style bread, cubed
Water, to cover
4 small vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn or shredded
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place bread in a medium mixing bowl and cover with water. Soak bread 3-5 minutes. In small batches, remove bread in handfuls from the water and wring out without mashing or tearing. You don’t want wet bread, so wring it carefully. Combine tomatoes with onions and basil in a second bowl and dress with vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Add bread to tomato salad and combine. Adjust seasonings and serve.
Parsley Walnut Salad
2 bunches fresh parsley
1 cup pitted kalamata, Greek, or nicoise olives (about 1 1/4 cups with pits)
1 cup walnuts, toasted*
1 bunch green onions
2 large tomatoes, peeled and seeded
1/3 cup good-quality extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt Freshly ground coarse black pepper
Remove stems from parsley and mince either by hand or with quick pulses in a food processor. Parsley should be finely chopped, but if you use a food processor be careful not to puree it. Parsley should form a fluffy base for other textures. Chop the olives, walnuts, and green onions by hand into a rough dice. Dice the prepared tomatoes and drain. Combine all of the chopped ingredients in a large wooden bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and red pepper flakes and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
*To toast nuts: Place nuts in a dry sauté pan over medium heat. Toast, while shaking pan to avoid overheating in one spot. Remove from the heat after 3-5 minutes when nuts have achieved a pale golden color.
Cucumber Papaya Salad
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon minced Hawaiian chiles or chile paste
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 large papaya, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 lettuce leaves
Sprinkle cucumber with salt and let drain in a colander for 20 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. In a bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar, oil, chiles and ginger. Add cucumber, papaya, and cilantro and toss. Line a serving platter or 4 individual plates with lettuce leaves, and top each with about 1/2 cup of salad.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Collard Green Cafe, 05-13-2005
Good for the soul food
What strip mall eatery lacks in size, it makes up to diners by being big on homestyle goodness.
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)
Collard Green Café
2566 Shallowford Road, Suite 112
404-634-9440
By RODNEY SMILEY Friday, May 13, 2005
MANY HOME GROWN Southerners consider themselves soul food experts. Growing up in south Georgia, I was served buckets and platters of soul food, or country cooking, including everything from turnip greens to fried fish to black-eyed peas. I know this food and know it well.
It’s been hard to find a worthy substitute for Grandma’s cornbread and lima beans, but it’s right here in Atlanta. The Collard Green Café, a six-table, take-out optional restaurant at the end of a Publix shopping center on Shallowford Road has a shot at becoming the place to get a local soul food fix.
Owner-chef James Paige obviously knows and loves his food. His place hasn’t received a lot of public attention, but what has been said is overwhelmingly positive. I decided to find out for myself what the hubbub is all about.
First, don’t expect table linens or silverware. A service window with a clear view of the kitchen backs a cramped dining area. The cafeteria-style warming trays are packed with sumptuous soul food staples.
Ox tails, pork chops, barbecue ribs and on request, fried catfish and chicken, are paired with lima beans, black-eyed peas, broccoli-rice casserole and of course, collard greens.
Prices are fixed depending on the entree, which includes sides and bread. The fresh fried catfish ($8.99) comes hot and crispy in a Styrofoam container with macaroni and cheese, lima beans and a slab of fist-sized cornbread. Ample, to say the least.
Two catfish filets are cornmeal-coated with a good bit of pepper. The lima beans, thick and nearly creamy, are cooked with onion, salt and pepper. Traditional macaroni noodles swim in thick cheddar cheese that is baked just perfectly. The cornbread is savory, not sweet, and works especially well when dipped in lima bean juice.
Two pork chops ($6.99) are floured and fried. Paired with black-eyed peas, they feel, well, like home.
One whiff of the mildly spicy sauce that coats a great slab of barbecue ribs ($8.99) should be more than enough to start most diners salivating. Hot, moist and tender, they’re as messy as they are tasty. Plenty of necessary napkins are provided.
Other meats and sides include roast beef, chicken livers, candied yams, green beans, squash and corn. There’s something for everyone.
As if the MAIN feast isn’t enough, it’s time for dessert. Homemade red velvet cake and peach cobbler are the choices on a recent night. The cake is so red it’s nearly burgundy, with two layers and a sweet cream cheese icing. The cobbler is a savory, cinnamon treat dusted with granulated sugar. Not my favorite cobbler, but a worthy substitute.
A dozen or so “pick-up order” patrons show up, which is a slow night for the place, according to the woman who serves as greeter, waitress, cashier and beverage grabber all in one.
The cafe also serves lunch, offering a meat with two sides from $5.99 to $9.99 and a daily $4.99 special. According to employees, long lunch lines and a diverse crowd from business people and construction workers to retirees arrives every day for one of Atlanta’s best soul food experiences.
Collard Green Cafe is definitely well worth a visit. The fare is nearly as good as home.
Just don’t let Grandma know. She might be a little bit miffed.
What strip mall eatery lacks in size, it makes up to diners by being big on homestyle goodness.
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)
Collard Green Café
2566 Shallowford Road, Suite 112
404-634-9440
By RODNEY SMILEY Friday, May 13, 2005
MANY HOME GROWN Southerners consider themselves soul food experts. Growing up in south Georgia, I was served buckets and platters of soul food, or country cooking, including everything from turnip greens to fried fish to black-eyed peas. I know this food and know it well.
It’s been hard to find a worthy substitute for Grandma’s cornbread and lima beans, but it’s right here in Atlanta. The Collard Green Café, a six-table, take-out optional restaurant at the end of a Publix shopping center on Shallowford Road has a shot at becoming the place to get a local soul food fix.
Owner-chef James Paige obviously knows and loves his food. His place hasn’t received a lot of public attention, but what has been said is overwhelmingly positive. I decided to find out for myself what the hubbub is all about.
First, don’t expect table linens or silverware. A service window with a clear view of the kitchen backs a cramped dining area. The cafeteria-style warming trays are packed with sumptuous soul food staples.
Ox tails, pork chops, barbecue ribs and on request, fried catfish and chicken, are paired with lima beans, black-eyed peas, broccoli-rice casserole and of course, collard greens.
Prices are fixed depending on the entree, which includes sides and bread. The fresh fried catfish ($8.99) comes hot and crispy in a Styrofoam container with macaroni and cheese, lima beans and a slab of fist-sized cornbread. Ample, to say the least.
Two catfish filets are cornmeal-coated with a good bit of pepper. The lima beans, thick and nearly creamy, are cooked with onion, salt and pepper. Traditional macaroni noodles swim in thick cheddar cheese that is baked just perfectly. The cornbread is savory, not sweet, and works especially well when dipped in lima bean juice.
Two pork chops ($6.99) are floured and fried. Paired with black-eyed peas, they feel, well, like home.
One whiff of the mildly spicy sauce that coats a great slab of barbecue ribs ($8.99) should be more than enough to start most diners salivating. Hot, moist and tender, they’re as messy as they are tasty. Plenty of necessary napkins are provided.
Other meats and sides include roast beef, chicken livers, candied yams, green beans, squash and corn. There’s something for everyone.
As if the MAIN feast isn’t enough, it’s time for dessert. Homemade red velvet cake and peach cobbler are the choices on a recent night. The cake is so red it’s nearly burgundy, with two layers and a sweet cream cheese icing. The cobbler is a savory, cinnamon treat dusted with granulated sugar. Not my favorite cobbler, but a worthy substitute.
A dozen or so “pick-up order” patrons show up, which is a slow night for the place, according to the woman who serves as greeter, waitress, cashier and beverage grabber all in one.
The cafe also serves lunch, offering a meat with two sides from $5.99 to $9.99 and a daily $4.99 special. According to employees, long lunch lines and a diverse crowd from business people and construction workers to retirees arrives every day for one of Atlanta’s best soul food experiences.
Collard Green Cafe is definitely well worth a visit. The fare is nearly as good as home.
Just don’t let Grandma know. She might be a little bit miffed.
Friday, April 22, 2005
Cherry, 04-22-2005
Cherry
1051 West Peachtree St.
404-872-2020
http://www.aboutcherry.com/
Cherry still blossoms After a few years on the restaurant scene, this fusion of fruit, food and style is still pleasing to the palate.
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)
By RODNEY SMILEY
Friday, April 22, 2005
Cherry opened its doors in 2001 to a flurry of pomp and circumstance befitting the newest hot spot on West Peachtree Street. The stylish historic house was the coolest place to be for the tragically hip, and better yet, it became a place to get a really decent plate of food.
In the Atlanta dining scene, specifically with fusion restaurants, it’s often either hip or tasty, rarely both. But Cherry, designed by Patti Krohngold around the theme of the pitted cocktail fruit, was a welcome and surprising combination of both. A few years and a few thousand cherry-befrocked martinis later, it maintains the best of both worlds.
Cherry’s sense of style begins at the front door. Just feet from the front steps on West Peachtree is a mammoth maraschino perched atop a block support. It’s whimsy eye candy, and it’s not unusual to find a few tourists stopping to grab a quick photo.
On any given night, the 45-seat downstairs dining and bar areas are congregated by a combination of the stylish, the “foodies” and a few neighborhood residents who seem a bit perplexed by the décor. But everyone still appears comfortable and at ease. Even more at ease is the staff: young, pretty and quick to smile, knowledgeable and eager to help.
And that’s Cherry’s foothold. Despite the glitz, rich reds, funky wall coverings and thumping lounge music, it’s a place that doesn’t make the uninitiated fusion diner feel nervous.
But if the comfortable surroundings and easy-going staff aren’t enough to set the easy tone, the menu reads like a descriptive Asian specialty shop inventory. Tataki this and satay that, with a smidge of wasabi and ginger over everything.
Despite the Pacific Rim overtones, the menu features easy to understand descriptions to assist the diner who doesn’t do the fusion thing all that frequently.
The restaurant adds a full wine list of Rieslings, Pinots and Zinfandels by the glass or bottle to the myriad of specialty cocktails from the bar.
Highlights of Executive Chef Timm Dumansky’s kitchen include Korean Beef and Thai Chicken Satay ($9), skewers of beef and chicken grilled yakitori style over a ginger dressed Asian slaw. There are few places in Atlanta that do yakitori justice, and Cherry’s are among the tastiest. The slaw is crisp and biting, cutting the sweetness of the skewers.
For the sushi and sashimi lover, a full menu of ocean delights is available, ranging from scallops and salmon to even fresh water eel. The maguro ($5), tuna with a bed of rice, is perfect. Pink and tender with just a hint of the sea, this is fine-grade tuna.
Entrees run the gamut of global flavors. The standards are here, including pork loin, roasted chicken, dinner salads, noodle bowls and ravioli, prepared alongside dishes like lamb chops ($29) with garlic mash and a New York Strip ($21), served with mixed vegetables and roasted fingerling potatoes.
The lamb is a bit gamey, but it is perfectly rare and almost glowing pink in the center. The beef strip is seasoned and grilled to order and is as pleasing as any standard beef-and-potatoes plate.
Desserts at Cherry change frequently, so no set menu is available. The server is quick to advise on the night’s sweet temptations, but frankly nothing spectacular stands out.
A roasted banana cheesecake ($6) sounds mildly tempting, as does the bread pudding. But nothing this night screams “must have.” Oddly enough, nothing cherry-inspired is offered.
Having established itself amongst the wide range of choices in Atlanta, Cherry holds its own with style, attitude and the kitchen chops of a mainstay. No pits here.
1051 West Peachtree St.
404-872-2020
http://www.aboutcherry.com/
Cherry still blossoms After a few years on the restaurant scene, this fusion of fruit, food and style is still pleasing to the palate.
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)
By RODNEY SMILEY
Friday, April 22, 2005
Cherry opened its doors in 2001 to a flurry of pomp and circumstance befitting the newest hot spot on West Peachtree Street. The stylish historic house was the coolest place to be for the tragically hip, and better yet, it became a place to get a really decent plate of food.
In the Atlanta dining scene, specifically with fusion restaurants, it’s often either hip or tasty, rarely both. But Cherry, designed by Patti Krohngold around the theme of the pitted cocktail fruit, was a welcome and surprising combination of both. A few years and a few thousand cherry-befrocked martinis later, it maintains the best of both worlds.
Cherry’s sense of style begins at the front door. Just feet from the front steps on West Peachtree is a mammoth maraschino perched atop a block support. It’s whimsy eye candy, and it’s not unusual to find a few tourists stopping to grab a quick photo.
On any given night, the 45-seat downstairs dining and bar areas are congregated by a combination of the stylish, the “foodies” and a few neighborhood residents who seem a bit perplexed by the décor. But everyone still appears comfortable and at ease. Even more at ease is the staff: young, pretty and quick to smile, knowledgeable and eager to help.
And that’s Cherry’s foothold. Despite the glitz, rich reds, funky wall coverings and thumping lounge music, it’s a place that doesn’t make the uninitiated fusion diner feel nervous.
But if the comfortable surroundings and easy-going staff aren’t enough to set the easy tone, the menu reads like a descriptive Asian specialty shop inventory. Tataki this and satay that, with a smidge of wasabi and ginger over everything.
Despite the Pacific Rim overtones, the menu features easy to understand descriptions to assist the diner who doesn’t do the fusion thing all that frequently.
The restaurant adds a full wine list of Rieslings, Pinots and Zinfandels by the glass or bottle to the myriad of specialty cocktails from the bar.
Highlights of Executive Chef Timm Dumansky’s kitchen include Korean Beef and Thai Chicken Satay ($9), skewers of beef and chicken grilled yakitori style over a ginger dressed Asian slaw. There are few places in Atlanta that do yakitori justice, and Cherry’s are among the tastiest. The slaw is crisp and biting, cutting the sweetness of the skewers.
For the sushi and sashimi lover, a full menu of ocean delights is available, ranging from scallops and salmon to even fresh water eel. The maguro ($5), tuna with a bed of rice, is perfect. Pink and tender with just a hint of the sea, this is fine-grade tuna.
Entrees run the gamut of global flavors. The standards are here, including pork loin, roasted chicken, dinner salads, noodle bowls and ravioli, prepared alongside dishes like lamb chops ($29) with garlic mash and a New York Strip ($21), served with mixed vegetables and roasted fingerling potatoes.
The lamb is a bit gamey, but it is perfectly rare and almost glowing pink in the center. The beef strip is seasoned and grilled to order and is as pleasing as any standard beef-and-potatoes plate.
Desserts at Cherry change frequently, so no set menu is available. The server is quick to advise on the night’s sweet temptations, but frankly nothing spectacular stands out.
A roasted banana cheesecake ($6) sounds mildly tempting, as does the bread pudding. But nothing this night screams “must have.” Oddly enough, nothing cherry-inspired is offered.
Having established itself amongst the wide range of choices in Atlanta, Cherry holds its own with style, attitude and the kitchen chops of a mainstay. No pits here.
Friday, March 11, 2005
Shout, 03-11-2005
(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.sovo.com)
Shout
1197 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA
404-364-9360
www.heretoserverestaurants.com
Tom Catherall IS one of Atlanta’s more prolific restaurateurs with mainstays including Prime, Goldfish and Noche. He now offers a newborn to his followers with Shout in Midtown Colony Square.
But this is no ordinary infant; it already has an attitude and ego large enough to cast shadows.
Based on the concept of its wildly popular big sister Twist (Twist and Shout, get it?), Shout has the potential to be as popular with the Midtown diners as its sibling is to the Buckhead crowd.
Hoards of smartly dressed urbanites are already crowding the space, sipping specialty martinis and flirting as if it were an Olympic trials event.
Shout is a place to drink and socialize and coincidentally grab a bite to eat, instead of being a destination for diners who like a drink with their meal. More loungey hot-spot than true restaurant, Shout feels schizophrenic: torn between being a lounge and a dining destination.
The Atlanta dining crowd is a fickle beast, not willing to share its need for fantastic dining experiences with the needs of the club-hopping meat market crowd. It’s the segregation of tribes that could keep Shout from growing up, stuck in its current incarnation as an expensive, transparent pick-up joint.
But the 18,000 square feet of space is gorgeous. The designers of Atlanta’s Johnson Studios have a great eye for the modern New York City hipster atmosphere. The space is hued in muted warm colors with an outdoor patio and an upcoming upstairs level. It’s a great place to sit and watch people mingle in the bar or to get a fresh view of the surrounding city blocks from the “Shout Out” patio.
And people are flocking to Shout. Sexy singles in a parade of designer clothes and stilettoed shoes spend time vying for the best seat from which to purvey the crowd.
Fruity cocktails and martinis seem to be the drink of choice, with a few casually dressed patrons who seem out of place in this uber-hip congregation. Very few of the customers are eating the exotic sounding plates and nibbles on the Shout menu.
Tapas is the name of the game. Fortunately, Chef Ian Winslade’s menu seems to reflect upscale and experienced tastes. Tandoori Roasted Fish with Crispy Coleslaw ($9) and Poached Salmon over a Green Bean, Feta, and Olive Salad with Tomato Anchovy dressing ($9) are just two of the more interesting Cold Plate choices.
There are also hot plates of Potato Samosas ($6) and an Open Faced Omelet with Tomato, Swiss Cheese and Arugula ($8) that are surprisingly tasty but could possibly alienate some inexperienced or unadventurous diners. Ditto the Asian Salad Bowls ($6 for large) are available as a design-your-own item.
The sandwich menu offering gourmet cheeses with steak and poultry choices ($7-$9) is a safe bet. Standard wood-fired pizzas and an Indian inspired Spice Market section round out the menu.
The Spice Market section of the menu is a welcome diversion from the usual Asian and Spanish tapas. Seared Tiger Shrimp and Green Chili Linguini ($13), Beef Short Ribs with Spiced Gnocchi ($15) and Moroccan Spiced Cornish Hen over Yellow Peppered Chickpeas with Goat Cheese ($12) warrant attention from lovers of exotic tastes.
Lost in this melting pot of flavors, I nearly forget where I am. The mixture of familiar and unexpected ingredients helps to drown out the chirping of tipsy 20-somethings flirting.
Shout is not, nor does it profess to be, a hot spot for Atlanta’s gay crowd, but I don’t feel out of place here. This crowd is too concerned with seeing and being seen to notice the lone gay man wrapped up in his meal.
Shout has hit Midtown with about as much subtlety as a boulder through plate glass. And aside from the ultra-cool, fashionista feel of the place, the menu succeeds despite the obvious detractions of dining in a singles bar.
Shout
1197 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA
404-364-9360
www.heretoserverestaurants.com
Tom Catherall IS one of Atlanta’s more prolific restaurateurs with mainstays including Prime, Goldfish and Noche. He now offers a newborn to his followers with Shout in Midtown Colony Square.
But this is no ordinary infant; it already has an attitude and ego large enough to cast shadows.
Based on the concept of its wildly popular big sister Twist (Twist and Shout, get it?), Shout has the potential to be as popular with the Midtown diners as its sibling is to the Buckhead crowd.
Hoards of smartly dressed urbanites are already crowding the space, sipping specialty martinis and flirting as if it were an Olympic trials event.
Shout is a place to drink and socialize and coincidentally grab a bite to eat, instead of being a destination for diners who like a drink with their meal. More loungey hot-spot than true restaurant, Shout feels schizophrenic: torn between being a lounge and a dining destination.
The Atlanta dining crowd is a fickle beast, not willing to share its need for fantastic dining experiences with the needs of the club-hopping meat market crowd. It’s the segregation of tribes that could keep Shout from growing up, stuck in its current incarnation as an expensive, transparent pick-up joint.
But the 18,000 square feet of space is gorgeous. The designers of Atlanta’s Johnson Studios have a great eye for the modern New York City hipster atmosphere. The space is hued in muted warm colors with an outdoor patio and an upcoming upstairs level. It’s a great place to sit and watch people mingle in the bar or to get a fresh view of the surrounding city blocks from the “Shout Out” patio.
And people are flocking to Shout. Sexy singles in a parade of designer clothes and stilettoed shoes spend time vying for the best seat from which to purvey the crowd.
Fruity cocktails and martinis seem to be the drink of choice, with a few casually dressed patrons who seem out of place in this uber-hip congregation. Very few of the customers are eating the exotic sounding plates and nibbles on the Shout menu.
Tapas is the name of the game. Fortunately, Chef Ian Winslade’s menu seems to reflect upscale and experienced tastes. Tandoori Roasted Fish with Crispy Coleslaw ($9) and Poached Salmon over a Green Bean, Feta, and Olive Salad with Tomato Anchovy dressing ($9) are just two of the more interesting Cold Plate choices.
There are also hot plates of Potato Samosas ($6) and an Open Faced Omelet with Tomato, Swiss Cheese and Arugula ($8) that are surprisingly tasty but could possibly alienate some inexperienced or unadventurous diners. Ditto the Asian Salad Bowls ($6 for large) are available as a design-your-own item.
The sandwich menu offering gourmet cheeses with steak and poultry choices ($7-$9) is a safe bet. Standard wood-fired pizzas and an Indian inspired Spice Market section round out the menu.
The Spice Market section of the menu is a welcome diversion from the usual Asian and Spanish tapas. Seared Tiger Shrimp and Green Chili Linguini ($13), Beef Short Ribs with Spiced Gnocchi ($15) and Moroccan Spiced Cornish Hen over Yellow Peppered Chickpeas with Goat Cheese ($12) warrant attention from lovers of exotic tastes.
Lost in this melting pot of flavors, I nearly forget where I am. The mixture of familiar and unexpected ingredients helps to drown out the chirping of tipsy 20-somethings flirting.
Shout is not, nor does it profess to be, a hot spot for Atlanta’s gay crowd, but I don’t feel out of place here. This crowd is too concerned with seeing and being seen to notice the lone gay man wrapped up in his meal.
Shout has hit Midtown with about as much subtlety as a boulder through plate glass. And aside from the ultra-cool, fashionista feel of the place, the menu succeeds despite the obvious detractions of dining in a singles bar.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Foodie's Guide to a Plentiful Pantry - 02-25-2005
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
The Foodie's Guide to a Plentiful Pantry
Rodney Smiley
February 25, 2005
As we all know, the key to successful entertaining is preparedness. You set a date for your party, plan the guest list and menu, do the shopping, and with a little work, voila! You've thrown a great party or dinner to add to your growing resume as a culinary queen.
But what happens when you don’t have time to plan, when guests arrive unannounced or unexpected? Do you order out? Do you leave your guests and rush out to the nearest market?
Or do you calmly open your pantry and, unlike Old Mother Hubbard with her hungry dog, whip up a great, quick selection of nibbles for your guests?
With a well-stocked, versatile pantry, you can do just that … and more. The pantry need not be a room or a closet; some of us just don’t have the kitchen space for it. It can be a cabinet or even a stainless steel restaurant shelving unit against an unused wall. As long as you have enough storage for what to put in your pantry, any space will do.
Below is a list of items that any ready-to-entertain pantry might contain. Add or subtract from this list to suit your own tastes and flavors, but use it to serve as a great starting point.
With a well-stocked pantry, some staple items from your refrigerator and a little quick thinking, you’ll never be at a loss for something to serve your guests – and you might just find that poor dog of yours a bone!
The Liquids
Almond Extract – for adding a little extra flavor to desserts, pie crusts, vegetables, and other dishes
Applesauce – for snacking, cooking, baking, and an easy dessert
Balsamic Vinegar – for flavoring dishes and making salad dressings
Barbecue Sauce – for cooking and flavoring
Canned Cream Soup – for a quick lunch, or to add to side dishes, soups, casseroles, and other dishes
Fruit Juice – for poaching poultry and fish, roasting meats, baking, cooking, and making beverages
Honey – for seasoning, cooking, or eating on biscuits or cereal
Hot Sauce – for adding a touch of spice to dishes
Ketchup
Liquid Smoke – for adding a barbecue flavor to sauces, cheese, appetizers, poultry, fish, and meats
Mayonnaise – for salads, sandwiches, salad dressings, and many other dishes
Olive Oil – for cooking, greasing pans, or making salad dressings
Orange Extract – for flavoring sauces, marinades, and desserts
Prepared Mustard – for sandwiches, mayonnaise-based salads, salad dressings, and marinades Real Maple Syrup – for cooking, flavoring, pancakes, waffles, and French toast
Red Wine – for cooking and seasoning (and drinking!)
Soy Sauce – for flavoring and quick stir frying
Tomato Paste – for making pasta sauces, stews, soups, and casseroles
Vanilla – for flavoring many dishes, especially desserts; only use the real flavoring or vanilla beans
Vegetable Oil
White Wine Vinegar – for salads, flavoring, and cleaning coffee pots
White wine – for cooking (and also drinking!)
Worcestershire Sauce – for seasoning and adding color
The Dried Goods and Fruits
Apples
Baking Soda – for baking and cleaning
Baking Powder
Bouillon (Beef, Chicken, and Vegetable) – for soups, seasoning, casseroles, and marinades
Bread (good, bakery bread) – for quick toasts and bruscetta
Brown Rice (it is healthier than white)
Brown Sugar
Cake Mix – for a quick and easy dessert
Canned Frosting
Cayenne Pepper or Crushed Red Pepper – for a little heat
Cocoa Powder – for baking and making hot cocoa
Cold Cereal – for baking, topping casseroles, snacking, and breakfast
Cookies – for snacking or quick desserts
Cooking Sprays
Cornstarch – for thickening sauces, stews, and gravies
Crackers – for snacking, appetizers, and topping casseroles
Cream of Tartar – for whipping egg whites
Dried Beans – for savory soups, stews, and side dishes
Dried Bread Crumbs – for breading food and topping casseroles
Dried Fruit – for desserts, sauces, roasting meat and poultry, and snacking
Dry Mustard – for seasoning and color
Gelatin, Flavored and Unflavored
Ginger – fresh for mincing or grating and adding to dishes for a spark
Graham Cracker Pie Crusts – for quick pies
Jams or Jellies – for making sandwiches, desserts, or sauces
Lemons – for squeezing fresh juice or using for zest in cooking
Nuts – a selection of your favorite nuts for breads, muffins, desserts, casseroles, and side dishes Oatmeal – for baking, cooking, and as a breakfast cereal
Onions
Oranges – for snacking, desserts, flavoring, and juice
Pasta – for eating plain, with butter, or a sauce; also great for using in soups, stews, casseroles, or as a side dish
Peanut Butter
Peppercorns – for including whole in soups, stocks, marinades, and roasts and for grinding for cooking and table use
Powdered Sugar – for making frosting, cooking, baking, and decorating
Potatoes, RussetPotatoes, Small Red
Pudding Mixes – for quick and easy desserts, pies, and puddings
Semi-Sweet Chocolate – for desserts and snacking
Solid Shortening - for baking and greasing pans
Sugar
Tenderizer – for tenderizing meats
Tuna Fish
Unbleached White Flour – for cooking, baking, thickening
Unsweetened Chocolate – for baking and cooking
Yeast – for baking
The Foodie's Guide to a Plentiful Pantry
Rodney Smiley
February 25, 2005
As we all know, the key to successful entertaining is preparedness. You set a date for your party, plan the guest list and menu, do the shopping, and with a little work, voila! You've thrown a great party or dinner to add to your growing resume as a culinary queen.
But what happens when you don’t have time to plan, when guests arrive unannounced or unexpected? Do you order out? Do you leave your guests and rush out to the nearest market?
Or do you calmly open your pantry and, unlike Old Mother Hubbard with her hungry dog, whip up a great, quick selection of nibbles for your guests?
With a well-stocked, versatile pantry, you can do just that … and more. The pantry need not be a room or a closet; some of us just don’t have the kitchen space for it. It can be a cabinet or even a stainless steel restaurant shelving unit against an unused wall. As long as you have enough storage for what to put in your pantry, any space will do.
Below is a list of items that any ready-to-entertain pantry might contain. Add or subtract from this list to suit your own tastes and flavors, but use it to serve as a great starting point.
With a well-stocked pantry, some staple items from your refrigerator and a little quick thinking, you’ll never be at a loss for something to serve your guests – and you might just find that poor dog of yours a bone!
The Liquids
Almond Extract – for adding a little extra flavor to desserts, pie crusts, vegetables, and other dishes
Applesauce – for snacking, cooking, baking, and an easy dessert
Balsamic Vinegar – for flavoring dishes and making salad dressings
Barbecue Sauce – for cooking and flavoring
Canned Cream Soup – for a quick lunch, or to add to side dishes, soups, casseroles, and other dishes
Fruit Juice – for poaching poultry and fish, roasting meats, baking, cooking, and making beverages
Honey – for seasoning, cooking, or eating on biscuits or cereal
Hot Sauce – for adding a touch of spice to dishes
Ketchup
Liquid Smoke – for adding a barbecue flavor to sauces, cheese, appetizers, poultry, fish, and meats
Mayonnaise – for salads, sandwiches, salad dressings, and many other dishes
Olive Oil – for cooking, greasing pans, or making salad dressings
Orange Extract – for flavoring sauces, marinades, and desserts
Prepared Mustard – for sandwiches, mayonnaise-based salads, salad dressings, and marinades Real Maple Syrup – for cooking, flavoring, pancakes, waffles, and French toast
Red Wine – for cooking and seasoning (and drinking!)
Soy Sauce – for flavoring and quick stir frying
Tomato Paste – for making pasta sauces, stews, soups, and casseroles
Vanilla – for flavoring many dishes, especially desserts; only use the real flavoring or vanilla beans
Vegetable Oil
White Wine Vinegar – for salads, flavoring, and cleaning coffee pots
White wine – for cooking (and also drinking!)
Worcestershire Sauce – for seasoning and adding color
The Dried Goods and Fruits
Apples
Baking Soda – for baking and cleaning
Baking Powder
Bouillon (Beef, Chicken, and Vegetable) – for soups, seasoning, casseroles, and marinades
Bread (good, bakery bread) – for quick toasts and bruscetta
Brown Rice (it is healthier than white)
Brown Sugar
Cake Mix – for a quick and easy dessert
Canned Frosting
Cayenne Pepper or Crushed Red Pepper – for a little heat
Cocoa Powder – for baking and making hot cocoa
Cold Cereal – for baking, topping casseroles, snacking, and breakfast
Cookies – for snacking or quick desserts
Cooking Sprays
Cornstarch – for thickening sauces, stews, and gravies
Crackers – for snacking, appetizers, and topping casseroles
Cream of Tartar – for whipping egg whites
Dried Beans – for savory soups, stews, and side dishes
Dried Bread Crumbs – for breading food and topping casseroles
Dried Fruit – for desserts, sauces, roasting meat and poultry, and snacking
Dry Mustard – for seasoning and color
Gelatin, Flavored and Unflavored
Ginger – fresh for mincing or grating and adding to dishes for a spark
Graham Cracker Pie Crusts – for quick pies
Jams or Jellies – for making sandwiches, desserts, or sauces
Lemons – for squeezing fresh juice or using for zest in cooking
Nuts – a selection of your favorite nuts for breads, muffins, desserts, casseroles, and side dishes Oatmeal – for baking, cooking, and as a breakfast cereal
Onions
Oranges – for snacking, desserts, flavoring, and juice
Pasta – for eating plain, with butter, or a sauce; also great for using in soups, stews, casseroles, or as a side dish
Peanut Butter
Peppercorns – for including whole in soups, stocks, marinades, and roasts and for grinding for cooking and table use
Powdered Sugar – for making frosting, cooking, baking, and decorating
Potatoes, RussetPotatoes, Small Red
Pudding Mixes – for quick and easy desserts, pies, and puddings
Semi-Sweet Chocolate – for desserts and snacking
Solid Shortening - for baking and greasing pans
Sugar
Tenderizer – for tenderizing meats
Tuna Fish
Unbleached White Flour – for cooking, baking, thickening
Unsweetened Chocolate – for baking and cooking
Yeast – for baking
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Casual Dinner Planning - 02-02-2005
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
Casual Dinner Planning
Rodney Smiley
February 2, 2005
If you’re like me, throwing a dinner party is not merely about the food, it’s about making your guests feel comfortable, well taken care of and happy. Sure there’s no better compliment to give a chef than “My, that was tasty” or “I’ve eaten so much I think I will explode”, but part of your guests truly enjoying a meal includes the behind the scenes details: table setting, service and presentation.
During the Holiday Season, formal dinner parties, cocktail soirees and get-togethers are the norm. However, there’s nothing that says we can’t throw a fantastic casual dinner party in the middle of winter, is there? Now that we’ve successfully navigated the Holiday Party season, and few weeks have passed, it’s the perfect time to have friends or family over for a simple dinner.
And no matter how simple the meal you are preparing, you and your guests will enjoy it all the more if you sit down to an invitingly set table and your dinner is attractively served.
But this does not mean that the table must be elaborate or fussy. Quite the reverse, for the trend today is toward simplicity.
It does mean, however, that everything must be bright and shining – silverware spotless, dinnerware sparkling and glass, clear. If you’re using a tablecloth, it should be pressed and clean and not too fancy: remember, simple is better.
The modern tendency in entertaining is toward greater freedom and simplicity, relaxing the elaborate affairs of many courses. Table decorations should be less formal, and service should be based on ease rather than regimen.
Don’t out-do yourself: never attempt more than you can handle, or more than your kitchen (and you) are prepared for.
Don’t have more guests than you can easily take care of: a big part of your guests enjoyment of a dinner party is the feeling that they are being taken care of, and over-inviting leaves you scrambling to serve everyone. Eventually, someone gets left out and doesn’t enjoy the evening.
Attempt only dishes that are within your culinary skill. If you wish to try something fancy, do it for yourself on an off night and save the tried and true dishes for your dinner guests. The most distinguished entrees are simple and done with ease.
Plan ahead – if you have portions of your meal that aren’t time sensitive, prepare them a few hours ahead. Spend the final minutes right before the meal preparing dishes that must be served fresh from the stove or oven.
Give your dinner party a bit of whimsy – if you have the capability, print up small menus to place at each table setting. Your guests will find this extra touch amusing, and it gives your dinner a personal touch.
Keep table decorations low, but keep candles high. Don’t feel confined to standard taper candles – use all different size pillars but place them on inverted vases or small pedestals. The intention is to draw your guests eyes up, away from the table and influence conversation.
Don’t be afraid of self-service: if your dinner guests are a close knit group of friends, serve the meal family style. Large bowls and platters filled with great food to share is a wonderful and familial way of eating. It reminds your guests of family meals when they were younger.
Keeping these few tips in mind will help you pull off a fantastic meal and an even more fantastic experience for your guests.
Casual Dinner Planning
Rodney Smiley
February 2, 2005
If you’re like me, throwing a dinner party is not merely about the food, it’s about making your guests feel comfortable, well taken care of and happy. Sure there’s no better compliment to give a chef than “My, that was tasty” or “I’ve eaten so much I think I will explode”, but part of your guests truly enjoying a meal includes the behind the scenes details: table setting, service and presentation.
During the Holiday Season, formal dinner parties, cocktail soirees and get-togethers are the norm. However, there’s nothing that says we can’t throw a fantastic casual dinner party in the middle of winter, is there? Now that we’ve successfully navigated the Holiday Party season, and few weeks have passed, it’s the perfect time to have friends or family over for a simple dinner.
And no matter how simple the meal you are preparing, you and your guests will enjoy it all the more if you sit down to an invitingly set table and your dinner is attractively served.
But this does not mean that the table must be elaborate or fussy. Quite the reverse, for the trend today is toward simplicity.
It does mean, however, that everything must be bright and shining – silverware spotless, dinnerware sparkling and glass, clear. If you’re using a tablecloth, it should be pressed and clean and not too fancy: remember, simple is better.
The modern tendency in entertaining is toward greater freedom and simplicity, relaxing the elaborate affairs of many courses. Table decorations should be less formal, and service should be based on ease rather than regimen.
Don’t out-do yourself: never attempt more than you can handle, or more than your kitchen (and you) are prepared for.
Don’t have more guests than you can easily take care of: a big part of your guests enjoyment of a dinner party is the feeling that they are being taken care of, and over-inviting leaves you scrambling to serve everyone. Eventually, someone gets left out and doesn’t enjoy the evening.
Attempt only dishes that are within your culinary skill. If you wish to try something fancy, do it for yourself on an off night and save the tried and true dishes for your dinner guests. The most distinguished entrees are simple and done with ease.
Plan ahead – if you have portions of your meal that aren’t time sensitive, prepare them a few hours ahead. Spend the final minutes right before the meal preparing dishes that must be served fresh from the stove or oven.
Give your dinner party a bit of whimsy – if you have the capability, print up small menus to place at each table setting. Your guests will find this extra touch amusing, and it gives your dinner a personal touch.
Keep table decorations low, but keep candles high. Don’t feel confined to standard taper candles – use all different size pillars but place them on inverted vases or small pedestals. The intention is to draw your guests eyes up, away from the table and influence conversation.
Don’t be afraid of self-service: if your dinner guests are a close knit group of friends, serve the meal family style. Large bowls and platters filled with great food to share is a wonderful and familial way of eating. It reminds your guests of family meals when they were younger.
Keeping these few tips in mind will help you pull off a fantastic meal and an even more fantastic experience for your guests.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Creating a Nice Rack - of Spices, 01-27-2005
(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
Creating a Nice Rack – of Spices
By: Rodney Smiley
January 27, 2005
Cooking with spices and herbs is like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae: it makes the dish complete. However daunting herbs may seem at first, once you familiarize yourself with the basic kitchen herbs and their uses, you’ll find you hardly prepare a dish without them.
While using recipes that include a spice or herbs is a good way to get started, the excitement comes when the unique flavor of each herb is understood and can be used to create your own special dish. The more you cook with herbs, the more you’ll want to build up a supply to keep on hand. We call this the spice rack.
Sure, you can run to the nearest Williams-Sonoma and pick up a fine selection of herbs, presented in a lovely stainless steel rack that’s been hand hammered by Tuscan masons. But what’s the fun in that? Why let someone else decide what spices you keep on hand?
Keeping in mind that this is not alchemy, and that you can mix and match until you find the right combination for you, I suggest buying a selection of small metal tins and a Sharpie. When arranged in a cabinet or stacked on your counter, it’s as pleasing as anything you’d find at a specialty store. Use the Sharpie to label the tops of your tins. For those of us with a certain flair, Sharpie even makes glitter pens and colors.
When creating your first ever spice rack, there are a few staple spices and herbs to choose, sort of like a starter kit. These are the most widely used and easy to find herbs that you’ll be able to pick up at your neighborhood market.
Below is a list of my own personal favorites – herbs I use year round to cook with. I’ve included some suggested uses for them as well.
Anise: seeds are good for baking – coffee cakes, sweet rolls, cookies
Basil: salads, mild sauces, bread oils
Caraway: used with pork, rye breads
Coriander: perfect for poultry, pork, typically used in making sausages
Cumin: alternative flavors for cheese trays (sprinkle on bland cheese)
Dill: Pickling, salads, soups, fish
Fennel: Used in garnishing fish, flavoring soups
Mint: sauces, adds distinctive flavor to salads
Rosemary: practically everything Italian. Grind finely in a spice grinder and mix with lemonade
Saffron: used basically for coloring – rice, creams, etc
Sage: perfect for poultry, veal, pork and cheeses
Tarragon: salads, poultry, fish
Thyme: stuffings, poultry, pork
As I mentioned before, cooking with herbs is not a science. There are very few constants when it comes to using them. Try and create your own flavorful combinations – your food, and your friends, will thank you for it!
Creating a Nice Rack – of Spices
By: Rodney Smiley
January 27, 2005
Cooking with spices and herbs is like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae: it makes the dish complete. However daunting herbs may seem at first, once you familiarize yourself with the basic kitchen herbs and their uses, you’ll find you hardly prepare a dish without them.
While using recipes that include a spice or herbs is a good way to get started, the excitement comes when the unique flavor of each herb is understood and can be used to create your own special dish. The more you cook with herbs, the more you’ll want to build up a supply to keep on hand. We call this the spice rack.
Sure, you can run to the nearest Williams-Sonoma and pick up a fine selection of herbs, presented in a lovely stainless steel rack that’s been hand hammered by Tuscan masons. But what’s the fun in that? Why let someone else decide what spices you keep on hand?
Keeping in mind that this is not alchemy, and that you can mix and match until you find the right combination for you, I suggest buying a selection of small metal tins and a Sharpie. When arranged in a cabinet or stacked on your counter, it’s as pleasing as anything you’d find at a specialty store. Use the Sharpie to label the tops of your tins. For those of us with a certain flair, Sharpie even makes glitter pens and colors.
When creating your first ever spice rack, there are a few staple spices and herbs to choose, sort of like a starter kit. These are the most widely used and easy to find herbs that you’ll be able to pick up at your neighborhood market.
Below is a list of my own personal favorites – herbs I use year round to cook with. I’ve included some suggested uses for them as well.
Anise: seeds are good for baking – coffee cakes, sweet rolls, cookies
Basil: salads, mild sauces, bread oils
Caraway: used with pork, rye breads
Coriander: perfect for poultry, pork, typically used in making sausages
Cumin: alternative flavors for cheese trays (sprinkle on bland cheese)
Dill: Pickling, salads, soups, fish
Fennel: Used in garnishing fish, flavoring soups
Mint: sauces, adds distinctive flavor to salads
Rosemary: practically everything Italian. Grind finely in a spice grinder and mix with lemonade
Saffron: used basically for coloring – rice, creams, etc
Sage: perfect for poultry, veal, pork and cheeses
Tarragon: salads, poultry, fish
Thyme: stuffings, poultry, pork
As I mentioned before, cooking with herbs is not a science. There are very few constants when it comes to using them. Try and create your own flavorful combinations – your food, and your friends, will thank you for it!
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